Two killed as minivan slams into fuel tanker in Tak province

[rooster59]

Two killed as minivan slams into fuel tanker in Tak province

Thaivisa Reporters



BANGKOK:-- Two men were killed and 12 other people injured when the minivan they were travelling in crashed head on into a fuel tanker at high speed in Tak province on Saturday.

The two dead men have been confirmed as Myanmar nationals.

The minivan was transporting migrant workers from Mae Sot to Samut Sakhorn when it hit the fuel tanker on the Tak-Mae Sot road at Doi Ruak.

Early investigations suggested the fuel tanker, which was travelling up hill, was overtaking a broken down vehicle when it collided with the minivan which was travelling down the hill on the opposite side of the road.

The drivers of the minivan and fuel tanker escaped unhurt, while the 12 other passengers were taken to local hospital for treatment.

Police are continuing to investigate the accident.

Source: Khaosod

-- 2016-03-13

[Compo]

I drive this road frequently.

It is, by itself, very dangerous.

On one bend there is a sign that says "over 100 people have died here, slow down!!" and still it happens.

[jucel]

Another genius behind the wheel of a lethal weapon

[off road pat]

Another genius behind the wheel of a lethal weapon

Yeah,...and the A... hole survived unhurt....! while two of he's passengers died ! There is no justice in this world ...!

[worgeordie]

Lucky the tanker did not explode, RIP, Burmese dudes.the tanker seems to be on the right side of the road,van driving far too fast,as they do

regards Worgeordie

[Ulic]

So the tanker truck was in the wrong lane as it was passing a broken down vehicle. Not

too much more investigation need to see it was passing when it was not clear. RIP to the

minivan passengers.

[whatproblem]

From the look of the picture it don't look like a head on crash ,more of a side impact of the minibus suggesting to me that the minibus was going across the path of the lorry ,also the lorry going up hill,won't be fast but we know the minibus going down hill will be

Edited March 13, 2016 by whatproblem

[Gsxrnz]

My standard reply to the question is ten million baht. Irrespective of the item in question being a pair of shoes, a golf club, or a car.

They get an answer, they respect that you responded, and understand that they won't get a real answer.

[laolover88]

Probably one of the most dangerous roads in Thailand; and that's a contest being widely fought over.

Road deaths in the UK 2015: c 1,700

Road deaths in Thailand 2015: c.25,000

[kiwikeith]

I drive this road frequently.

It is, by itself, very dangerous.

On one bend there is a sign that says "over 100 people have died here, slow down!!" and still it happens.

Single lane each way roads are extremely dangerous as Thai drivers overtake on blind hills and corners and into oncoming traffic as well, It just amazes me what they do so all you can do here is be extremely carefull.

Quite sad that a road education campaign has never been considered ,maybe they could clean up the roads by asking all crazy idiot drivers to turn themselves in for attitude adjustment, same as they are doing for the Mafia.....

[8OA8]

Another genius behind the wheel of a lethal weapon

Yeah,...and the A... hole survived unhurt....! while two of he's passengers died ! There is no justice in this world ...!

My interpretation of the initial report is that the van driver was driving on his own side of the road. Given it was his passengers that died I can't see why you see fit to refer to him as an "A... hole"

[8OA8]

The following text taken from the OP is in my humble opinion impossible to have happened "collided with the minivan which was travelling down the hill on the opposite side of the road"

To have collided would have required the vehicles to be in, or crossing over into each others lanes. Perhaps the wording should have been "opposite direction" instead of "opposite side"?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Many Thai drivers seem to have no fear of passing on blind hills and corners. Do they just think that with 65 million people in such a small country there is no chance that anyone might be coming?

I dread driving on the highways here.

Constant public education and proper enforcement are truly the only way to have any positive affect on this. .......I know, I know, not likely to happen.

[jesimps]

Another genius behind the wheel of a lethal weapon

Yeah,...and the A... hole survived unhurt....! while two of he's passengers died ! There is no justice in this world ...!

My interpretation of the initial report is that the van driver was driving on his own side of the road. Given it was his passengers that died I can't see why you see fit to refer to him as an "A... hole"

Even if he was on his own side of the road he should have been driving at a speed where he could stop in an emergency. He was probably in top gear which is the usual method used by locals for driving downhill.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[8OA8]

Another genius behind the wheel of a lethal weapon

Yeah,...and the A... hole survived unhurt....! while two of he's passengers died ! There is no justice in this world ...!

My interpretation of the initial report is that the van driver was driving on his own side of the road. Given it was his passengers that died I can't see why you see fit to refer to him as an "A... hole"

Even if he was on his own side of the road he should have been driving at a speed where he could stop in an emergency. He was probably in top gear which is the usual method used by locals for driving downhill.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

When was the last time you were on that stretch of road?

For me it was last Sunday.

[farcanell]

The OP states that the initial investigation indicates that the truck was on the wrong side of the road, as he was trying to overtake a broken down vehicle.

The broken down car should have been on the verge, but was seemingly just stopped on the road, and having seen Thai parking, I find that premise quite easy to believe.... Therefore he shares some of the blame

Also, and undoubtedly, the van driver was driving without due care, as he was unable to stop before the collision... So must share some of the blame

The damage to the van, as seen, may well have been caused by the van driver locking up the brakes and going into a sideways slide

As for the tanker driver.... Well, he had to overtake the broken down car, so needed to cross over into the oncoming traffic lane, and if he did that, when he could see an upcoming vehicle, then he's an idiot... But looking at the background landscape, I think this may have happened just before a curve in the road, so he could well have been unaware of the rapid approach of the van, and bear the least responsibility in yet another road tragedy

And the seemingly daily salutation... RIP

[Kasset Tak]

Almost every time I have gone that road there has been cars or trucks that have broke down on either side of the road and this road has a lot of heavy transports as Mae Sot is a SEZ for the border trade to Myanmar.

The problem for the truck drivers are that if they stops then they might have to back down the hill as many parts of that road has a quite steep climb so it would be impossible for them to start again going uphill if they stop.

Then on the other hand the van drivers seems to think that if a road sign say 80 (or 30 or 50 and so on) then we do minimum 80 as that's what the sign say and they stay in the middle of the road so that they don't have to slow down if there are anyone going slow on the side of the road, my personal record going Tak-Mae Sot with public van is 50 min, that's about 85km and should take about 1.5h according to google...

[kennalder]

Is it just me, or does it look like both vehicles are on the LEFT side of the road? If so a lot of theories above might need to be re-thought, and the report re-written. If I'm wrong I apologize to all the real detectives.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Another genius behind the wheel of a lethal weapon

Yeah,...and the A... hole survived unhurt....! while two of he's passengers died ! There is no justice in this world ...!

My interpretation of the initial report is that the van driver was driving on his own side of the road. Given it was his passengers that died I can't see why you see fit to refer to him as an "A... hole"

Even if he was on his own side of the road he should have been driving at a speed where he could stop in an emergency. He was probably in top gear which is the usual method used by locals for driving downhill.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Even if he was driving at 80 km, the recommended speed, the minivan will need at least a 100 m to stop. Coming over the crest of a hill it may have been impossible for him to stop. The truck should not have entered the opposite lane.

[farcanell]

Even if he was driving at 80 km, the recommended speed, the minivan will need at least a 100 m to stop. Coming over the crest of a hill it may have been impossible for him to stop. The truck should not have entered the opposite lane.

How was the truck to get around the broken down vehicle that was blocking his way?

Look.. Clear... Overtake.... Out of the blue comes a minivan at 140 km... That's all folks

[AGLV0121]

Probably one of the most dangerous roads in Thailand; and that's a contest being widely fought over.

Road deaths in the UK 2015: c 1,700

Road deaths in Thailand 2015: c.25,000

Yes, speeding on the portion between Tak and MaeSod is a recipe for X.

Rest in Peace, people.

But the works on the road currently making it a thruway may make it safer. But if a reason to drive faster.

[rodcourt49]

Even if he was driving at 80 km, the recommended speed, the minivan will need at least a 100 m to stop. Coming over the crest of a hill it may have been impossible for him to stop. The truck should not have entered the opposite lane.

How was the truck to get around the broken down vehicle that was blocking his way?

Look.. Clear... Overtake.... Out of the blue comes a minivan at 140 km... That's all folks

..a truck that size can't just stop on a 'sixpence'.

[Jonathon]

I drive this road frequently.

It is, by itself, very dangerous.

On one bend there is a sign that says "over 100 people have died here, slow down!!" and still it happens.

There are no dangerous roads, only dangerous drivers.

[Jonathon]

Minivans - coffins on wheels the way they are driven here. Best avoided.

[farcanell]

I drive this road frequently.

It is, by itself, very dangerous.

On one bend there is a sign that says "over 100 people have died here, slow down!!" and still it happens.

There are no dangerous roads, only dangerous drivers.

Johnathon, this is a really stupid comment.

Yes, there are a lot of dangerous drivers in Thailand, but to say that there are no dangerous roads is a crock of steaming hot Schmitt.

Dangerous roads exist everywhere... In every country... Don't bother reading a book, watch some TV like ice road Truckers, or the most dangerous roads in the world, for example

But I digress, forget that, this is Thailand, where the Thai engineering of roads is probably to a lesser standard than a lot of places in the world.... That's right..." Engineering" of roads... Curves, camber, compaction, assigned limits, warnings, water run off, verge cleaning ( for further vision) etc etc

Not so long ago, I was out on the bike, riding a road I've been along a hundred, times at least... I came around a corner and found that half the road had dropped away by about a meter

now me.... I call that a dangerous road.

In Oz, the road maintenance folk run "black spot" ( multiple death spots usually) campaignes, were they crunch the statistics and decide if road accidents are a factor of dangerous driving vs dangerous roads, and then take action, often by redesigning road alignments, installing lights, or increasing police presence in the area... Because they recocognise that road " conditions" can be a significant factor in accidents

Even on the road, in this thread, people have said that this road is being modified... Could that, per chance, be because the road authorities think it's unsafe?

If you thought you were being funny... I apologies.... Otherwise... Get a grip.

[Jonathon]

I drive this road frequently.

It is, by itself, very dangerous.

On one bend there is a sign that says "over 100 people have died here, slow down!!" and still it happens.

There are no dangerous roads, only dangerous drivers.

Johnathon, this is a really stupid comment.

Yes, there are a lot of dangerous drivers in Thailand, but to say that there are no dangerous roads is a crock of steaming hot Schmitt.

Dangerous roads exist everywhere... In every country... Don't bother reading a book, watch some TV like ice road Truckers, or the most dangerous roads in the world, for example

But I digress, forget that, this is Thailand, where the Thai engineering of roads is probably to a lesser standard than a lot of places in the world.... That's right..." Engineering" of roads... Curves, camber, compaction, assigned limits, warnings, water run off, verge cleaning ( for further vision) etc etc

Not so long ago, I was out on the bike, riding a road I've been along a hundred, times at least... I came around a corner and found that half the road had dropped away by about a meter

now me.... I call that a dangerous road.

In Oz, the road maintenance folk run "black spot" ( multiple death spots usually) campaignes, were they crunch the statistics and decide if road accidents are a factor of dangerous driving vs dangerous roads, and then take action, often by redesigning road alignments, installing lights, or increasing police presence in the area... Because they recocognise that road " conditions" can be a significant factor in accidents

Even on the road, in this thread, people have said that this road is being modified... Could that, per chance, be because the road authorities think it's unsafe?

If you thought you were being funny... I apologies.... Otherwise... Get a grip.

Well that was a rant. We are not discussing the Ice Road or similar. We are talking about a normal public road, albeit maybe with roadworks. If the drivers respected that then there would not be a problem. People need to adapt to the conditions and as we see every day they either can not or will not.

[farcanell]

I drive this road frequently.

It is, by itself, very dangerous.

On one bend there is a sign that says "over 100 people have died here, slow down!!" and still it happens.

There are no dangerous roads, only dangerous drivers.

Johnathon, this is a really stupid comment.

Yes, there are a lot of dangerous drivers in Thailand, but to say that there are no dangerous roads is a crock of steaming hot Schmitt.

Dangerous roads exist everywhere... In every country... Don't bother reading a book, watch some TV like ice road Truckers, or the most dangerous roads in the world, for example

But I digress, forget that, this is Thailand, where the Thai engineering of roads is probably to a lesser standard than a lot of places in the world.... That's right..." Engineering" of roads... Curves, camber, compaction, assigned limits, warnings, water run off, verge cleaning ( for further vision) etc etc

Not so long ago, I was out on the bike, riding a road I've been along a hundred, times at least... I came around a corner and found that half the road had dropped away by about a meter

now me.... I call that a dangerous road.

In Oz, the road maintenance folk run "black spot" ( multiple death spots usually) campaignes, were they crunch the statistics and decide if road accidents are a factor of dangerous driving vs dangerous roads, and then take action, often by redesigning road alignments, installing lights, or increasing police presence in the area... Because they recocognise that road " conditions" can be a significant factor in accidents

Even on the road, in this thread, people have said that this road is being modified... Could that, per chance, be because the road authorities think it's unsafe?

If you thought you were being funny... I apologies.... Otherwise... Get a grip.

Well that was a rant. We are not discussing the Ice Road or similar. We are talking about a normal public road, albeit maybe with roadworks. If the drivers respected that then there would not be a problem. People need to adapt to the conditions and as we see every day they either can not or will not.

Yer... Sorry... It was a rant... Stupidity brings that side out of me, and claiming that there are no dangerous roads is stupidity, as you DID... So you get that.

Just as well there are millions of Thais in Thailand... You'll never run out of them to bash.

[anon467848]

Many Thai drivers seem to have no fear of passing on blind hills and corners. Do they just think that with 65 million people in such a small country there is no chance that anyone might be coming?

I dread driving on the highways here.

Constant public education and proper enforcement are truly the only way to have any positive affect on this. .......I know, I know, not likely to happen.

Somchai believes that his lucky amulet will save him, even when he's driving like a lunatic ... some people are so brain dead, that they really do believe the myth...

Edited March 15, 2016 by merlin2002